Pages

Saturday, October 31, 2009

I have only just learned of the death of Ted Andrews – that wonderful Pagan author – on October 24th, from cancer, at the age of 58.

He has been a great source of understanding and inspiration to many and his books will continue to enrich and enlighten us.

Here is my favourite Prayer for the Dead, for those who may may wish to honour him that way.

Light a new white candle, say this prayer and let the candle burn all the way down. (Of course never leave a lit candle unattended.)

I light this candle for [name]. May [his/her] spirit pass through the portal betwixt this world and the next and find rest and peace. May [his/her] time spent in the land of light be profitable that [he/she] may learn the lessons necessary for the next stage of [his/her] journey towards God. May [name] be at peace and at rest. Peace be with you.

This was taught to me many years ago by my mentor, teacher and friend, a great magician called Ridge, when a dear love of mine from several lifetimes died in this lifetime.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Having had brainwashing attempted on me and almost succeeding, I'd like to do my best to make others aware of the techniques just in case you ever need to be fore-armed. (Hoping I'm not also putting weapons into the hands of the unscrupulous! But if they want weapons, I expect they can find them without my help.)

I don't know where the following document came from. A concerned friend sent it to me at a time I badly needed it. It was illuminating and empowering.

• Assault on identity: You are not who you think you are.
This is a systematic attack on a target's sense of self (also called his identity or ego) and his core belief system. The agent denies everything that makes the target who he is: "You are not a soldier." "You are not a man." "You are not defending freedom." The target is under constant attack for days, weeks or months, to the point that he becomes exhausted, confused and disoriented. In this state, his beliefs seem less solid.

• Guilt: You are bad.
While the identity crisis is setting in, the agent is simultaneously creating an overwhelming sense of guilt in the target. He repeatedly and mercilessly attacks the subject for any "sin" the target has committed, large or small. He may criticize the target for everything from the "evilness" of his beliefs to the way he eats too slowly. The target begins to feel a general sense of shame, that everything he does is wrong.

• Self-betrayal: Agree with me that you are bad.
Once the subject is disoriented and drowning in guilt, the agent forces him (either with the threat of physical harm or of continuance of the mental attack) to denounce his family, friends and peers who share the same "wrong" belief system that he holds. This betrayal of his own beliefs and of people he feels a sense of loyalty to increases the shame and loss of identity the target is already experiencing.

• Breaking point: Who am I, where am I and what am I supposed to do?
With his identity in crisis, experiencing deep shame and having betrayed what he has always believed in, the target may undergo what in the lay community is referred to as a "nervous breakdown." In psychology, "nervous breakdown" is really just a collection of severe symptoms that can indicate any number of psychological disturbances. It may involve uncontrollable sobbing, deep depression and general disorientation. The target may have lost his grip on reality and have the feeling of being completely lost and alone.

When the target reaches his breaking point, his sense of self is pretty much up for grabs -- he has no clear understanding of who he is or what is happening to him. At this point, the agent sets up the temptation to convert to another belief system that will save the target from his misery.

• Leniency: I can help you.
With the target in a state of crisis, the agent offers some small kindness or reprieve from the abuse. He may offer the target a drink of water, or take a moment to ask the target what he misses about home. In a state of breakdown resulting from an endless psychological attack, the small kindness seems huge, and the target may experience a sense of relief and gratitude completely out of proportion to the offering, as if the agent has saved his life.

• Compulsion to confession: You can help yourself.
For the first time in the brainwashing process, the target is faced with the contrast between the guilt and pain of identity assault and the sudden relief of leniency. The target may feel a desire to reciprocate the kindness offered to him, and at this point, the agent may present the possibility of confession as a means to relieving guilt and pain.

• Channeling of guilt: This is why you're in pain.
After weeks or months of assault, confusion, breakdown and moments of leniency, the target's guilt has lost all meaning -- he's not sure what he has done wrong, he just knows he is wrong. This creates something of a blank slate that lets the agent fill in the blanks: He can attach that guilt, that sense of "wrongness," to whatever he wants. The agent attaches the target's guilt to the belief system the agent is trying to replace. The target comes to believe it is his belief system that is the cause of his shame. The contrast between old and new has been established: The old belief system is associated with psychological (and usually physical) agony; and the new belief system is associated with the possibility of escaping that agony.

• Releasing of guilt: It's not me; it's my beliefs.
The embattled target is relieved to learn there is an external cause of his wrongness, that it is not he himself that is inescapably bad -- this means he can escape his wrongness by escaping the wrong belief system. All he has to do is denounce the people and institutions associated with that belief system, and he won't be in pain anymore. The target has the power to release himself from wrongness by confessing to acts associated with his old belief system.

With his full confessions, the target has completed his psychological rejection of his former identity. It is now up to the agent to offer the target a new one.

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Abusers who are close to us, e.g. family members, can get under our radar. They know exactly which buttons to push. Having experienced this recently, with attendant shock, distress and anger, I've also received excellent advice from friends as to how to deal with it in future. The person concerned is now out of my life, so hopefully I won't have to. They are good techniques anyway.

"Put up a mirror," said my wonderful massage therapist, while simultaneously working to release the trauma from my body. "When you get those emails, reflect the energy back. That says, 'It's not my stuff, it's yours, have it back.' It's amazing how effective it is. Even while they're thinking and saying all that stuff, they start to get an inkling that maybe it's theirs."

I recounted this conversation to another friend, who said, "Rhodonite. Or Tourmaline. They do that; they reflect things back to the source. Tourmaline does it strongly, rhodonite more lovingly. You need to wear one of them."

The only piece of tourmaline I have is much too big to wear, but I found a nice piece of rhodonite among my crystals, which I added to the crystal pouch which I sometimes wear around my neck. Sometimes has just become always!

I'm good at visualisation, but not everyone is. It might be hard for some people to whack up the image of a mirror at a moment's notice. Also, it's easy to forget any technique in a stressful moment. Wearing something that does the same job is a good fail-safe.

Friday, October 16, 2009

Instead of (or as well as) the more passive kind of praying, we like to do spells, which are active prayers. There are many ways to do spells; some can be done with a simple thought or burst of energy. Most, though, require physical doing: gathering herbs and other natural objects, selecting candles of particular colours, going through various actions such as writing words on paper or dressing the candles with oil, and often casting circle or even performing a full ritual.

Witches are doers. We don't sit idly by when we see a situation that needs intervention. We put protection around our homes and vehicles, or over those we care for. We work to bring about desired outcomes. Many of us are actively engaged as healers and/or psychic readers. It hardly needs saying that we care deeply about the natural world.

We also know that magick is what to do when mundane methods have been tried and failed. If someone is seriously ill, first get them to a doctor, then start doing energy healing. If you care about the environment, recycle, stop using chemical cleaners, and so on, as well as enlisting the help of the appropriate deities.

I am a bit late by Australian terms to join in Blog Action Day, when bloggers around the world post about climate change – but luckily it is still Thursday in the northern hemisphere. It just occurred to me that it would be appropriate at this blog to post links to activist organisations whose briefs most definitely include climate change issues.

Blog Action Day is an exciting initiative, where we get to speak out about the big issues that concern us, in the hope of spurring action in other ways, by ordinary people and by world leaders. Talking about an issue is only a starting point. The hope is that if enough of us make enough noise, things will change in concrete, physical, practical ways. (Posting a blog is of course an action, and if it's still October 15th 2009 somewhere in the world when you read this, it's not too late to register and do that.)

Meanwhile, other people are both talking and acting. To continue having a voice and contributing to action, after Blog Action Day has been and gone, here are just a few of the organisations you might consider joining:

The Wilderness Society link is for the Australian one; if you Google "Wilderness Society" you'll find links for other countries.

As I said, I am posting these just by way of a starting point. They're the ones I personally subscribe to. Getting involved can have you signing petitions, taking part in public demonstrations, and/or donating to ad campaigns – but only if you choose to. At the very least it lets you know what is going on concerning causes you care about. GetUp and Avaaz in particular espouse other cause besides climate change and environmental issues, but certainly include them.

As for spells and rituals, I'm sure I don't have to instruct any experienced witches and magicians who may happen across this! But if you're new to the ways of magick, here are a couple of simple posibilities:

1) Candle wishing spell(my own invention):

Take a new green candle, with your boline or any sharp pointed knife (but not your athame) inscribe a suitable symbol on its side. This could be the Peace symbol (you know, the circle with the three lines radiating out from the centre, as pictured here) which covers all kinds of peace on earth, or the figure 8 (representing balance) or perhaps a sketch of a tree or the sun, or whatever else is easy to draw and seems to you to symbolise the issue of climate change. Light the candle, and as it burns down think about the upcoming Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December. Think about the outcomes you would like to have happen, and imagine what the world would be like if they all came to pass. When you're done, put out the candle with a candle snuffer or the blade of your knife, and say out loud: "It is done! It is done! It is done!" You can add any other incantation you may like to use when casting spells, e.g. "According to free will, for the good of all and harm to none, so mote it be!"

[This spell could be adapted for other wishes, changing the colour of the candle and the kind of symbol as appropriate.]

Wishes that are not possible are usually not worth going after.It is important to know what you want and go after it.[In this case, as above, think of exactly what you would like to happen from the Copenhagen Conference.]The Bay Leaf possesses powerful magical properties and is used for granting wishes.You will need 3 bay leaves to perform this simple but effective Spell.When the moon is new, write your wish out on a piece of paper.Now visualize your wish coming true.Fold the paper into thirds and place 3 bay leaves inside.Again, visualize your wish coming true.Now, fold the paper into thirds once again and hide it away in a dark place.Keep visualizing your wish coming true as you do this.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Back in the nineties I did an amazing course called The Master Game, devised and presented by my friend Jenette Youngman. I guess you could describe it as personal development in a spiritual context. One week she gave us homework in the form of a guided meditation which we were to do every day for the next week, first thing in the morning.

I had the most magickal week! Everywhere I went, I was welcomed enthusiastically, even by strangers. I asked for things and people gave them to me gladly.

Human beings are funny creatures. We think we want life to be wonderful and fulfilling, but often we don't act accordingly. We forget all the brilliant tools and techniques we have.

I was the only one who did the homework – and after that wondrous week, I too forgot most of the time. I still don't manage it every day; sometimes months go by. But when I do remember, and do it for a while before it slips my mind again, life becomes miraculous and delightful once more.

The Lady's Prayer

By DragonStar Rose

Dear MotherWho in-dwells All That Is,Blessed be your myriad names,May peace and plenty flourish on your Earth.Your Design unfolds:As above, so below.Thank you for the nourishment you give us,Thank you for your Karmic laws,Which teach us wellTo put ourselves in others’ shoes.Thank you for guiding us on joyous paths.Thank you for protecting usFrom fear and doubt and harm.For yours is the Cosmos and all therein,Yours is the Love that empowers our lives,The Splendour of Creation, the Grace of TruthAlways and always,So mote it be!